# The Starmer-Mandelson-Epstein scandal & Musk’s merger

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-econoclasts-6347002/the-starmer-mandelson-epstein-scandal-musk-s-merger
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-econoclasts-6347002/the-starmer-mandelson-epstein-scandal-musk-s-merger.md
Podcast: [The Econoclasts](https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-econoclasts-6347002)
Published: 2026-02-11T00:01:00+00:00
Episode link: https://shows.acast.com/these-times/episodes/the-starmer-mandelson-epstein-scandal-musks-merger
Audio file: https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/644d3eb26d7c8a0011cf2a0b/e/698b516e5e0cb52f15a932d5/media.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-econoclasts-6347002/episodes/the-starmer-mandelson-epstein-scandal-musk-s-merger
Duration seconds: 2214

## Resource

In this episode of The Econoclasts, Yanis Varoufakis and Wolfgang Munchau confront the false orthodoxies of finance and power, beginning with a deep dive into the “rigged” valuation of the SpaceX-xAI merger and toxicity of stock buybacks, before clashing over Keir Starmer’s appointment of Peter Mandelson as US Ambassador, Mandelson's links to Jeffrey Epstein, and the resignation of Morgan McSweeney as proof of a clownish and ultimately doomed political strategy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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## Transcript

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